Growing Together

We are so proud of the journey that Farm Club has been on over the years. The farm has been a labour of love and, in its infancy, was opened as a community hub in the heart of St Ives, Cambridgeshire. From farm cafe to shared allotments to becoming a school trip destination, we've offered a multitude of opportunities to support community groups across the county. For over 10 years we have worked tirelessly to be able to present the Alternative Provision facility that you see today - we would not be where we are without all of the support, generosity and, most importantly, time that has been donated to us from many parties.

So that leads us to where we are now! I am delighted to be able to demonstrate throughout this platform the extensive, all-encompassing service that we have to offer to the vulnerable young people across Cambridgeshire. Where Farm Club really differs from other interventional programmes is taking a child-led approach to education. We acknowledge the rising demand of students requiring an alternative way of learning, not a one-size-fits-all structure. This is why we curate pathways for each individual with no two-days looking the same. Learning and development is at the heart of what we do, encouraging our SEMH students to explore, be curious and develop an 'appetite' for life, meanwhile teaching them respect, manners, social skills and essential life skills which they may not have access to elsewhere. Utilising this opportunity to make a true difference to the vulnerable children in our care gives them the availability to thrive within education and far into their futures. And we've seen that it works! Farm Club alumni have built their confidence and esteem, increased their learning motivation, positively changed their attitudes and reintegrated back into mainstream or specialist schooling, without any further expectation of exclusion or rejection.

So how do we do what we do? First and foremost, we have to connect before we can correct. We instil trust in our students through play. This process varies in length from student to student, but we ensure this all-important feeling of freedom, pride in making choices and opportunity of expression is never lost throughout each child's journey with us. Once we have developed a meaningful and honest relationship with boundaries, consistency and fun, we are able to start the correction of behaviours that are holding back the progress of our young people, both within education and society. As I have mentioned, this is individual to each student; at this stage, for some students, we're able to start reintroducing academics in an alternative, usually outdoor, setting. For others, this can be a time to focus on interview techniques, vocational skills or farm care thanks to the animals looked after at Farm Club, which in itself offers a therapeutic feel to each session.

To summarise, our mission is to equip children across the county with the skills, knowledge and self-regulation to thrive within our complex and ever changing society. I am so grateful of the team we have gained and dedicated our time to, all with the ability to adapt, have patience and deeply care for each of the individuals they are matched with. Without our dedicated people, the ethos at the heart of Farm Club does not continue!

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Farm Club. Please take advantage of the extensive information and resources we have on offer and feel free to reach out with requests, questions or otherwise.

Carol Bailey

Founder & Director